Release date: 13/08/2017

Photo LGCT/Stefano Grasso

It would be a thrilling final day of competition on the Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard as Brazilian superstar Marlon Módolo Zanotelli (BRA) took a brilliant win with Celena VDL.

As the very best horses and riders in the world rounded off a wonderful weekend of top sport, the popular rider took the lion’s share of the €92,000 prize purse - fending off 17 other riders in a nail-biting jump-off.

The sun came out for the final day of action at the spectacular Tops International Arena, as a high-octane race to the finish saw an edge-of-the-seat gallop to the last. Dutch fans had double celebrations as Leopold van Asten (NED) with VDL Groep Miss Untouchable took a strong second - just tenths behind Zanotelli’s time - and Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) with VDL Groep Quatro finished in third.

A delighted Marlon said of his horse: “She’s amazing, I’m so happy to have a horse like that. I have to thank the VDL team to have a horse like this. It’s a huge win for me, we’re so happy and delighted to have the support of everyone behind us. I walked away and tried not to watch too much, I did what I had to do in the ring and thankfully today it paid off.”

CSI2* Finals
Victory in the Big Tour Final (1.45m) went to Belgium’s top rider Olivier Philippaerts and the 15-year-old gelding H&M Challenge v. Begijnakker Z (Zang., Chellano Z X Palestro v. Begijnakker). The pair stayed clear in 34.56. Challenge is already seven years with the Philippaerts’ family. H&M Challenge v. Begijnakker is in full training to get to 5* level again after a rest period. “He has a great character, really cool and he always wants to work,” according to the 24-year-old from Gruitrode. Challenge is more or less a ‘family horse’, Olivier’s brother Nicola and father Ludo have also competed with him.  Maikel van der Vleuten and the nine-year-old KWPN mare Dana Blue (Mr. Blue x Hemmingway) finished runners-up for the Netherlands. They had a clear round in 35.06. Mexico’s Enrique Gonzalez took third place with Zapzerap (KWPN, Zapatero VDL x G. Ramiro Z) in 0/0/36.23.

The current leader in the Longines Global Champions Tour, Harrie Smolders, won the Medium Tour Final with Corrada, a KWPN mare by Oklund x Lauriston. There were nine combinations in the jump-off of this 1.40m class. It was the first outing of Harrie with this mare since their last competition last year at the Olympia Horse Show in London. After Olympia, Corrada was ridden by Harrie’s pupil Audry Coulter. She competed in Wellington (USA) in January and February and in Valkenswaard in May. Now Harrie took over the ride again. “It is a very sweet horse with a calm character, but she is focused and a perfect horse for 1.50m courses. If she will be good enough for 1.60m courses, time will tell,” said Harrie. Britain’s Jemma Kirk finished in second place with the KWPN gelding Carbani (Carolus II x Baloubet du Rouet). Third place went to Angelica Augustsson with Dis Moi Tout de Clairbois (SBS, Ugano Sitte x Versace van de Ruitershoeve).         

South Africa’s Oliver Lazarus and the Oldenburger stallion Bagheera Blue (Chacco Blue x Carnute SF) won the Small Tour Final. Oliver is located at Karl Schneider Stables in Germany, but he will move to Stal Tops in three weeks. He grew up in South Africa at a farm and was active in eventing until he was 13-years-old when he changed to jumping. He rides Bagheera Blue since February and they are very successful. “We call him ‘Biggie’ at home, he is a lovely horse, although very sensitive and he is fast and careful in the course. At home he spends a lot of time in the meadow,” said Oliver. The pair was also successful in May at Tops International Arena when they won the 1* Big Tour Final.
Runner-up was Holland’s Fabienne Roelofsen with her gelding Alonso (KWPN, Casco x Wagner) followed by Britain’s Jemma Kirk and Tchoui Pironniere (L’Amour du Bois x Hurlevent) in third place.
 
Young Horses Final
Just after Olivier Philippaerts had won the CSI2* Grand Prix he was also in front at the prizegiving ceremony of the Young Horses Final (1.30/1.35m). Voor deze wedstrijd had hij de zevenjarige Anaelle de Lojou gezadeld. Deze SF merrie (Apache d’Adriers x Diamant de Semilly) is sinds februari dit jaar eigendom van Ludo Philippaerts en werd zij gereden door Thibault Philippaerts. Het was voor Olivier de eerste internationale wedstrijd met Anaelle de Lojou.
De Duitse topruiter Marcus Ehning eindigde op de tweede plaats met de zevenjarige ruin Qooper Z (Zang., Quidam de Revel x Canturo). De derde plaats was voor Paola Amilibia Puig en Julieta (Holst, Canstakko x Casall).
 
Magic Millions Special Invitational
Switzerland’s Sandrine Berger clocked the fastest time with her 10-year-old Calgary XI (Baloubet Junior Z x Quick Star) in the four-horse jump-off of the Magic Millions Special Invitational Big Tour. The 25-year-old rider also won this class yesterday. Sandrine grew up between horses at her parents’ jumping and trading stable in Le-Mont-sur-Lausanne. She took up riding seriously when she was ten-years-old and rode her first competition at the age of 12. She is trained by her father and by Ignace and Jane Philips, who are based in Italy. It is her dream to compete at 5* level.
The USA’s Alexandra Crown finished runner-up with her nine-year-old BWP gelding Ides van de Heikant (Wittinger VDL x Ferro). Holland’s Rob Eras took third place with Collezione Cesaro Mikimoto, an eight-year-old BWP gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Surrealist van ‘t Paradijs.

The Dutch Madee Schuttenbeld, only 15-year-old, won the 1.25m competition with the KWPN mare Vayrenta (Haarlem x Zeoliet), who has the same age as Madee. The rider from Almelo was the fastest in the 10-horse jump-off with 34.66 seconds.  

The 1.15m class was convincingly won by Britain’s Alicia Store with the 10-year-old KWPN mare Capellini II (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Gimpel). The 33-year-old rider from Romsey (Hampshire) was the only rider to stay clear in the jump-off in 41.16 seconds.